August 2011 Editor's Picks: Products from Chemineer and IDS

ChemineerPortable mixer performs continuous and batch applications
Chemineer’s high-performance portable DT mixer is appropriate for liquid–liquid, liquid–solid, and gas–liquid continuous or batch applications. The mixer can handle a volume of 10,000 L and viscosities as large as 2000 cp. Employees can use one mixer for several vessels because the mixer can be removed easily from the process. The mixer also can be removed for cleaning. Alternatively, the mixer’s drive can be removed while its wetted parts remain with the vessel for easy transport.

The DT mixer incorporates premium-efficiency motors and a heavy-duty gearbox designed to handle the high shaft-bending loads encountered in agitator service. The bearings and gears are sized to bear these loads without requiring additional support outside of the gearbox. Designed for agitator service, the machine’s mechanical seals provide high runout capability, are pressure-balanced for good wear characteristics, and made of FDA-approved materials. The cartridge design of the seal makes replacement quick and safe and helps improve performance.

IDS Compact camera provides high resolutionThe UI-5480CP Gigabit Ethernet camera from IDS provides 5-megapixel resolution and is much smaller than most competing cameras. Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) technology lets users connect the camera with a single network cable to a PoE-compatible computer, and the camera’s compact size makes it easy for users to attach it to existing machines.

The camera’s high resolution allows for a large field of view and allows it to capture multiple product labels (e.g., on syringes) at one time. The camera includes a software development kit that allows users to access all of the camera’s functions (e.g., to enable autoexposure, capture an image, or change the frame rate). The software also allows the camera to interface with third-party software, such as that from Cognex. A viewer allows users to set and save camera parameters, capture and adjust video, zoom in or out, adjust color, and save images. The camera is compatible with Linux and Windows systems.